Seller calls on NZ Post for support

After going through a major flood, then the Covid-19 lockdown, a small Northern Southland business owner says it is struggling to survive after multiple issues with postal services.

Tony Sparks, who owns Garston Stables and the Hunny Shop at Garston, said he was ‘‘at his wits’ end’’ fighting for his businesses’ survival, and was frustrated in his dealings with NZ Post.

A NZ Post spokesperson said: ‘‘Our team has been in direct contact with Tony and is working with him to resolve his concerns.

‘‘NZ Post wishes to apologise for the frustrations that Tony has experienced.’’

However, Sparks said last night that he was still waiting to hear from the company.

He was calling on the company to support small and medium online businesses with better pricing, more efficient delivery, and a more responsive management team.

Sparks’ business is on the main tourist route between Queenstown and Milford Sound, but with few tourists driving on the road because of the Covid-19 pandemic, he has transitioned his business online.

‘‘One of the biggest impediments to converting visits into sales online is the expense of posting. In fact, on so many levels, NZ Post is a disincentive for our online business. ’’

His postal woes began before the Southland floods in February, where he says his closest Post Shop at Frankton could not take parcels from them unless they were registered with the Ministry for Primary Industries.

The company registered with the ministry but was then told by Post Shop staff that its customers also needed to be registered with the ministry.

‘‘The logistics of every person, who may buy a jar of honey, having to register with MPI did not seem, to them, an impossible requirement.’’

Sparks called inquiries at NZ Post in Wellington to be told as far as it was concerned, there was no prohibition on sending small parcels containing honey overseas, as did the ministry.

He then had to set up his business for -shipping, a process that he said took several weeks, but his first invoice was received with no discounts applied.

‘‘As a business account holder with the post office, we have a special discount to reflect the many thousands we spend a year, further, a surcharge had been applied to zone D [bulk delivery area], where a large part of our internet sales come from.’’

He was still waiting for a response from the accounts receivable team, who he last spoke to on May 5.

Sparks said dealing with management at NZ Post had been a frustrating experience.